Merle Haggard was most likely the first country singer who addressed racism. In the song, the narrator expresses his love for his sweetheart Irma Jackson, but also acknowledges that she cant be mine because theres no way the world will understand that love is colorblind. He also points out that no one cared when the two of them were childhood friends, but now that they are grown up, the world draws a line and wont let them be together because they are of different races. Eventually, Irma herself decides to leave the narrator, but he proclaims that he will always love her till I die. According to American Songwriter, some conservatives who had flocked to Okie were shocked by Irma Jackson, Haggards pro-tolerance take on interracial romance, but Haggard was unfazed by this. Haggard said that he and Johnny Cash both believed strongly in freedom of speech. Haggard had earlier recorded a cover of Go Home, a song by Tommy Collins with a similar theme. Merle brought Irma Jackson to his record label asking to release it and was instead forced to release Fighting Side of Me. I guess I just fell in love with Merle Haggard all over again. https://youtube/watch?v=XSNwaHxjvpI
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 17:10:44 +0000
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